The Rip
review by Bobby Blakey
Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are one of those rare duos of friends that have maintained both their lifelong friendship as well as their working one. They started together, but went on to both have stellar careers, but have reteamed to form their production company Artist Equity that brings them back together for their latest flick The Rip. The film brings teams them up with a great cast including Steven Yuen, Teyana Taylor, Sashsa Calle, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Kyle Chandler, Nestor Carbonell and Scott Adkins along with The Grey, Copshop, and Boss Level director Joe Carnahan, but can it bring the tense crime drama it promises or will it fail to make the bust?
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The Rip follows the murder of a captain that has remained unsolved for six weeks, mired in bureaucratic delays, leaving the officers of Miami's Tactical Narcotics Team restless and eager for justice. Seeking an outlet for their frustration and perhaps a chance to secure something for themselves, the team acts on a tip about a potential cartel stash. What they uncover is far more than they anticipated. Inside a derelict stash house, they discover millions in cash, and with it, the fragile bonds of trust within the team begin to unravel. As news of the massive seizure spreads, outside forces close in, and everything comes into question -loyalties, motives, and even who they can truly trust.
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I have been looking forward to this movie since they announced that Affleck, Damon and Carnahan were coming together for this type of film. Then Scott Adkins added to the mix and I was all in. Now I will have to complain that I didn’t get any of that Adkins ass kicking badassery but wasn’t expecting it nor necessary to this film. That is just my own issue and got it out of my system. That being said, this film is fantastic on numerous levels and took it in directions I wasn’t expecting in the best way possible.
The film seemingly walks into that generic gritty cop film that we have seen a thousand times but quickly lets you know there is more layers here than they are letting on. The story is initially pretty simple before it starts revealing more than to things with everyone involved and pull s you in waiting to see what is coming next. It’s a game of who is good, who is bad, who has whose back and who is taking a bullet. The answer is all of the above because there are twists and turns at every corner and makes for a great flick.
Damon and Affleck are always great together, but their real-life chemistry really adds to their performances every time. This time around there is more tension than we typically get and they both shine and knock iut out of the park. The rest of the cast are great as well with a lot more of an ensemble focus than I expected while keeping these two powerhouses front and center. There aren’t as many action pieces here as I had expected, but what is here is realistic and chaotic, fitting perfectly with the tone of this film.
I love these types of films, and this one is top form. It is a must see whether you love this genre or just these two guys together. Join the case and check out The Rip streaming now exclusively on Netflix.
